"The Humiliation and the Pain" deals with the issues of police brutality and the use of torture in order to make criminals (and even innocent people
who get accused of crimes) confess their acts or denounce their partners or other crimes. It tells the reality of Brazil back in the mid 1980's right
after the end of the military regime, which had that same modus operandi of using terrible acts torture to make political prisoners confess their business
and for some reasons, that same apparatus persistence inside police stations and were recurringly used in order to extract confessions, as if the transition
to democracy never took place. And let's face it: it was a problem then, it's still a problem now but far away from the reality depicted in the film and
many other countries go through similar problems.
In a very didatic manner, the video presents about tortures method used, presenting possible scenarios where it was used through dramatization with
actors (the film could go on without those moments, the acting was cheap and doesn't much to cause an impact on audiences), and it also interviews common
people who either favor the use of force against criminals or are opposed as police enforcement can use of other tatics and follow the law without breaking
it; and personalities such as a chief of police, Catholic Church bishop Dom Evaristo Arns, news reporter Percival de Souza, actor Antonio Fagundes and others
that I couldn't identify sharing their views on the topic. Actor Benjamin Cattan presents the educational part of the video by presenting torture methods, but
it's an almost funny part of it as he sure looks embarassed to be there, stuttering between words.
I liked the video as it is very informative and allows audiences to think about the causes of those extreme reactions by forces of authority, even though
it's more inclined about the opposition against torture. It takes sides so part of the audience won't like it all that much. Another great topic exposed comes
from the inclusion of death penalty as form of punishment, and again all the personalities are against, but some people from the crowd are favorable. When it
got to that issue the film became simple-minded with a constant yes or not situation that even didn't hint about the possibility of a more strict law (the most
a criminal can spend behind bars are 30 years), and it's not brought to the case the application of life in prison which has a great deal of support by many
Brazilian yet the judicial system doesn't want, and lawmakers doesn't want it either. This was done before the new Constitution which changed over the years
but established many of those laws (yet to have a major chance or a new bill gets created). Some wide perspective would benefit the video.
It's a fine project to watch and get some understanding of complex issues despite being treated in a very simplistic manner. It serves many educational
purposes, one of those films that teachers could show in school and develop some debate about it - even though it's nearly 40 years-old, and it works as a small time travel to Brazil of 1980's and see how little has changed when it comes to security and criminality. 8/10.
